ROUND 1, GAME 6: LAC (3-3) @ DAL (3-3) | 97-104 loss

[Dahlsim]

On defense both have similar problems. Cannot defend in space. Boban is even slower but also stronger and a way better rebounder.
On offense Boban can set "real" screens. Also has the strength to establish position in the paint. For easy paint catches or offensive rebounds. Boban plays like a big. KP plays like a 7´3 SG.

Happy to cosign this take.   

Offensively Bobi is an old school big, get me close to the basket and let me work.  
KP on offense I've always seen similar to what you said playing best like a 7'3" SF rather than a SG.  
He has some inside game, some roll and rim and yeah he may even be more a modern PF.  

Problem is all on defense of course.  KP is capable but I don't think his body can take too much of that pounding that is required when he is in Unicorn mode on defense. 
Part of him has to know this too, the last thing he wants is to increase is odds of another long term injury.  There's a just a difference between playing hard and going ALL OUT throwing your body into the mix with these physical customers like Morris, Zubac and Kawhi. 
Not seeing as much of that reckless abandon defensively from KP which puts his legs and his body in risky positions more often but he's still showing effort.  That's my take. 

Boban is too slow yes, but he does come out and contest with his long arms.  Doc Rivers said on any given night Boban could easily take more than he gives because the other team's shooters are simply not always going to be hot every night. 

At the end of the day as the cliche goes, this is a great coaching chess match, increased respect to both coaching staffs in this series but it will come down to a MAKE and MISS league.  If the Clippers are hot enough shooting, scoring out of the PnR and on the stretch Perimeter while KP and Bobi are not putting it down to supplement Luka & THJ putting it down, then no strategy will work for Dallas.  Carlisle will be forced to go back to regular rotation sooner than he might want to. 

I wouldn't change a thing. Its Lue's turn to change, just make sure ALL the bigs put it all on the floor for 4 quarters and let Luka Magic bring it home. 

[audiosway]

I think the point of having both of the big fellas out there (instead of one) was to play a zone that kept KL and PG out of the lane and away from the basket to start the game. It was a tone setter. And it worked! If the Clippers would have hit all those 3 pointers it would have been a disaster. But they didn't, which is nice.

Agreed. Keeping those 2 out of the paint is key. I like what Draymond Green (I think it was him) said after the game the other night when he said that the Mavs wanted Reggie taking 3s rather than giving up paint points to KL and PG. They are fine with Reggie hitting some big outside shots because he won't stay hot for a whole game. And it's taking away shots from KL and PG.

Great strategy. Same with Morris. Let him shoot from outside. He won't hit them all.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Agreed. Keeping those 2 out of the paint is key. I like what Draymond Green (I think it was him) said after the game the other night when he said that the Mavs wanted Reggie taking 3s rather than giving up paint points to KL and PG. They are fine with Reggie hitting some big outside shots because he won't stay hot for a whole game. And it's taking away shots from KL and PG.

Great strategy. Same with Morris. Let him shoot from outside. He won't hit them all.

Ya this is definitely the strategy, still frustrating because on paper, KP should be good enough to protect the rim without another giant out there with him running a zone and giving up open threes.  It's a huge gamble that paid off so I'm very curious if they do it again.

[fifteenth]

Agreed. Keeping those 2 out of the paint is key. I like what Draymond Green (I think it was him) said after the game the other night when he said that the Mavs wanted Reggie taking 3s rather than giving up paint points to KL and PG. They are fine with Reggie hitting some big outside shots because he won't stay hot for a whole game. And it's taking away shots from KL and PG.

Great strategy. Same with Morris. Let him shoot from outside. He won't hit them all.

Having said what I said. I'm mostly not expecting the twin towers to start. My guess is that KP and DP start, and that they still start in a zone.

[JamesConway]

I have a feeling we don't start Bobi again but still go with two bigs out there in KP/Powell.  Powell's minutes in the 3rd were the reason we won game 5.  The bigger question is whether we go zone again, DFS seemed to do ok with Kawhi when they had to man up so I wonder if we see more of that from the tip or if we go back to Maxi.

I really like how KP and DP played together, wouldn’t mind them starting at all. Not sure you can get away with the giant frontcourt two times in a row.

[fifteenth]

Here are some guesses for tonight. I've alread mentioned one, but I'll put it here too:

• DP starts
  
• Luka/DP pnr is featured for chunks of this game (like at the end of the 3rd in game 5)
  
• Rick has some other card to play just for this game. Lou has made adjustments from game to game, but not sure if he's been able to adjust much in game. So Rick's gotta test that. 
  

What are yours?

[Jommybone]

Three observations:

First, 2 of our 5 bigs were on the court at all times, none playing more than 30 minutes. To me, that was the big change in game 5. With the exception of 43-minute Luka, I thought the Mavs looked fresher than the Clips much of the second half. 

The traditional wisdom is you shorten your rotation in the playoffs, especially on the road. Coach did that with our 3 best players, Luka, Tim, and Dorian. But the rest (the bigs) he platooned. 

Second, for the first time in the series, we made free throws.

Excluding the last 8.8 seconds of intentional fouling, the Clips got 25 freebies to our 15. That’s a major disparity. And it’s a joke that the team playing the more physical brand of defense, and defending bigs with mediums, was the recipient of that advantage. (Only in the NBA.) But we made the best of the opportunities we got. 

Third, and this is certainly related, the non-Luka-generated scoring attempts shriveled to a bare minimum. None of our other would-be creators (Jalen, Josh, Trey) got minutes. Tim and Dorian attempted drives almost never. If the defense is super-physical (and it was), and you can’t get free throws (and we couldn’t), then driving into the lane is a recipe for catastrophe. 

8 total turnovers in the game (4 of em Luka’s) is no happenstance. It’s the result of a deliberate coaching decision not to let the silence of the refs dictate the game’s outcome. If there’s a game 7, expect the same strategy. Here’s to hoping game 6 makes that irrelevant.

[Mapka]

Ya this is definitely the strategy, still frustrating because on paper, KP should be good enough to protect the rim without another giant out there with him running a zone and giving up open threes.  It's a huge gamble that paid off so I'm very curious if they do it again.

KP is just fine protecting the rim, the problem is when Zubac sits behind him and dunks every miss or dump pass.
What killed us in the 3th and 4th games was Kawhi and PG hitting everything from the midrange and from threeland.

[mavsluvr]

I really like how KP and DP played together, wouldn’t mind them starting at all. Not sure you can get away with the giant frontcourt two times in a row.

It wouldn't shock me to see Bobi start, or at least play in the first quarter, to force Lue to counter, and perhaps as a hedge against the other bigs getting into early foul trouble. Maybe more, if it's working. 

But see your point that it might be a Get Out of Jail Free card that you can only use once. For very long, anyway.

So hard to predict this series. So many tactics that probably shouldn't work on paper do on the court, and vice versa.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

KP is just fine protecting the rim, the problem is when Zubac sits behind him and dunks every miss or dump pass.
What killed us in the 3th and 4th games was Kawhi and PG hitting everything from the midrange and from threeland.

I agree that killed us but I disagree that KP is doing fine protecting the rim.  Both those guys were able to bully their way to rim plenty without much help coming from our big man once they got here.  What you mentioned about Zubac is an issue as well but that dude is a giant net negative on this series so I'm happy anytime he's on the floor to be honest.

Here are some guesses for tonight. I've alread mentioned one, but I'll put it here too:

• DP starts
  
  
• Luka/DP pnr is featured for chunks of this game (like at the end of the 3rd in game 5)
  
  
• Rick has some other card to play just for this game. Lou has made adjustments from game to game, but not sure if he's been able to adjust much in game. So Rick's gotta test that. 
  
  

What are yours?

Hardaway Jr goes off for 25+ after seeing his dad in the crowd.

[Scott41theMavs]

I'm not going to be able to watch the game live (work...). 

Four things I want to see when I watch the game afterward (only if it's a win; not wasting my time on a loss that already happened):
1) More Willie
2) A Green sighting
3) KP at least doing no harm if not chipping in at least 10 pts and 7 rebounds
4) Luka making his FTs and showing up in the fourth quarter offensively

[mavsluvr]

Here are some guesses for tonight. I've alread mentioned one, but I'll put it here too:

• DP starts
  
• Luka/DP pnr is featured for chunks of this game (like at the end of the 3rd in game 5)
  
• Rick has some other card to play just for this game. Lou has made adjustments from game to game, but not sure if he's been able to adjust much in game. So Rick's gotta test that. 
  

What are yours?

OK, I'll bite. 

Will RC stick with the twin towers approach throughout the game? If not, does he go micro at points?

Don't think it matters all that much which big guy starts. But who is on the court at the end of the game if it's close? Starting lineup with Powell instead of Bobi?

Will foul trouble be an important factor for either or both teams? It sidelined KP in Game 5 for almost the whole second quarter. It really hurt the Clips too, with PG. If so, I guess it's just next man up? Or, will they be coached not to be aggressive if they're one foul away from being sidelined? Will players in foul trouble be allowed to play on? That backfired for the Mavs in Game 5, but I could see Lue leaving PG on the floor in Game Six if he's in that boat again. 

If the Clippers elect to adjust by doubling Luka for much of the game, you hope the role players can make them pay. But if they're cold, do the Mavs try to feature KP offensively, or just keep hoping their threes fall?

Tend to think we will see all 5 bigs get minutes in this one, unless the strategy just collapses. 

Tim Hardaway needs to have a very good game. Hopefully, his dad will be Cuban's limo guy. 

Can DFS guard Kawhi effectively two nights in a row? If not, do they concentrate their defensive efforts on Kawhi, and just try to keep PG out of the paint as much as they can?

They can't over-react to a few made threes by the Clippers role players. But if their zone defense is broken, do the Mavs go all-in on offense and make it a shootout?

Does Rick have any more tricks up his sleeve? For that matter, does Lue?

[ThisIStheYear]

Confidence. That’s what matters tonight.  Until now, the Mavs have won games playing with the desperate determination of an underdog trying to prove themselves, but I don’t know that they’ve really believed they’re the better team. Tonight, I think victory will depend on the clarity of purpose and freedom of play that only confidence can bring.  A surprise big game from Zinger wouldn’t hurt either!

[Hypermav]

https://twitter.com/townbrad/status/1400...48322?s=20

[Jommybone]

Here are some guesses for tonight. I've alread mentioned one, but I'll put it here too:

• DP starts
  
• Luka/DP pnr is featured for chunks of this game (like at the end of the 3rd in game 5)
  
• Rick has some other card to play just for this game. Lou has made adjustments from game to game, but not sure if he's been able to adjust much in game. So Rick's gotta test that. 
  

What are yours?

Good predicts. Mine:

* Zebras give Clips 10 FTs in the 1st 10 mins.
* Zebras call the rest of the game for the home team.
* Mavs follow script, falling down double digits early but roaring back for an easy W.

[ClutchDirk]

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1400961472751153155

[Tyler]

Dallas isn't messing around.

https://twitter.com/KDUB_UW12/status/140...1954789382

[fifteenth]

Great news!!! Pop is in the building 

---

Boban

[Mavs2021]

We´ll hear a BANG like it´s 2011.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMY6cqd8al0

[Mavs2021]

Are you fucking kididng me. You are Reggie Jackson not Reggie Miller, you tool.